Contents

Description

Otherwise known as the "Desert of the Dead",[2] the Si Wong Desert is the driest, hottest environment in the world, consisting of miles of barren sand. It housed the largest library in the world before the structure was returned to its original home in the Spirit World.

Only a select few are mentally and physically capable of surviving in this desert for an extended period of time, let alone navigating through it. However, certain desert-dwelling peoples, such as the sandbenders and the beetle-headed merchants, have successfully adapted to the environment. Nevertheless, even they can find themselves victims to common habitual afflictions such as starvation, dehydration, and skin cancer. The desert's ecosystem primarily consists of hallucinogenic cacti, a few scavenger species such as the gilacorn, and the predatory buzzard wasps.[2] It is also home to a large sand shark which is known to attack people and their ships.[4]

After the Harmonic Convergence of 171 AG, spirits began to roam the world freely and rumors spread that many of them had found a new home in the Si Wong Desert.[4]

Locations

Si Wong Rock

Si Wong Rock is the only geological feature rising above the flat expanse of the desert.

The Si Wong Rock is a gigantic geological formation that rises from the center of the rolling dunes of the Si Wong Desert, looming imposingly over the landscape. Considering its flat, barren surroundings, the rock would appear supernaturally out of place. Ancient sandbender lore tells that the formation was dropped from the heavens by the gods as a demonstration of their great power and anger when human inhabitants had stopped abiding by the rules of their priests.[2]

Regardless of its true origin, the rock is the only notable landscape feature of the barren desert, aside from the now completely buried library, and is thus used as a guidepost by the sandbenders or any others who traverse through the region. In addition to being a visual landmark, the rock is also composed of a metallic ore that gives it magnetic qualities, allowing the sandbenders to create compasses that work throughout the desert, giving them their location in relation to the rock. The rock contains a large hive home to a colony of carnivorous buzzard wasps, who are known to immediately defend their home against anyone who disturbs.[3]

Misty Palms Oasis

The Misty Palms Oasis is a small town on the edge of the desert. When Aang went to the oasis just before the Hundred Year War, he enjoyed it very much, going so far as to call it pristine, a word he seldom used. At the time, a giant mass of ice was situated in the center of the cantina, and a natural wonder. However, after one hundred years, the wonder ended up as a small, melting chunk of ice, and the entire place around the ice was falling apart; when Team Avatar entered the Misty Palms Oasis, the sign in front fell off.[1] However, by 171 AG, the oasis blossomed into a trading center, featuring several taverns and a modest inn.[5] The cantina is known for its mango beverages which are expertly prepared by a broadswordsman.[2]

Wan Shi Tong's Library

Deep within the desert is an ancient library containing vast amounts of books, scrolls, and other documents with information pertaining to the World of Avatar. It was built and is overseen by the knowledge spirit, Wan Shi Tong. With the help of his Knowledge Seekers, Wan Shi Tong displayed a vast collection of knowledge for others to read so that civilization may better itself.

Although the entire library is immense in size, only its top spire was originally visible from the desert, with the rest buried beneath the sand dunes due to many years of sand buildup. However, a trip to the ancient library by Team Avatar prompted Wan Shi Tong to completely bury it beneath the sand dunes, leaving only a crater where the building once stood.[1]

Residents

Sandbender Tribes

The sandbenders live in different tribes in the Si Wong Tribes, one being the Hami Tribe. Sandbenders have adapted well to the arid environment of the desert, and utilize a unique art known as sandbending. They use boat-like vehicles known as sand-sailers to travel across the land which they power by bending a sand tornado to blow wind into the sails. The people of the Sandbender Tribes are distrustful of any strangers, and make a habit of stealing from them, most notably Ghashiun and his allies.[2] However, if a sandbender has wronged a foreigner, he or she must show the victim hospitality.[3]

Beetle-headed merchants

The beetle-headed merchants were the first people to inhabit the Si Wong Desert. According to legend, the beetle-like headpieces they don date back to a tradition of their ancestors, who disguised themselves as sour beetles in order to avoid being hunted by giant gilacorns which found the beetles unpalatable.[2] They are skillful traders with easygoing personalities, and are able to see potential worth in almost anything. Their camps are spread throughout the desert, and the Misty Palms Oasis serves as their base for trade affairs. Their means of transportation are giant beetles.[7]